Chaos (Thelema)

In Greek Mythology, Chaos was perceived as the void from which all things sprang, or a mass of unordered things. Chaos existed from the beginning alongside Nyx (Night), Erberus and Tartarus. Gaia, Tartarus and Eros were sometimes considered progeny of Chaos.

Chaos is described as the “All-Father”, “One Father of Life”, “the Dyad”, and the “Father of thought”. The Mystery of Chaos also includes “at once the Formula of the Feminine Trinity.”

On the Tree of Life, Chaos is identified with the SephiraChokmah or Wisdom (whose traditional title is ‘Ab’, ‘Abba’ or Father), and is in turn attributed to the ‘part of the soul’ called Chiah (the “Life-force”), and Yod (seed) of Tetragrammaton; all of these associations are attributed to the element of fire.

Within the Thelemic Canon, Chaos is oftentimes paired or passionately united with either Babalon (Binah, Neschamah, Aima, Isis, “Mater” and He of Tetragrammaton) through the path of Love (Daleth; see the magick circle), or with the “purified” Virgin Daughter of Babalon (Earth, Malkuth, Nephesch, Persephone, “Filiae” and He final of Tetragrammaton; see The Vision and the Voice, 4th AEthyr)- who awakens “the eld of the all-Father”. This uniting of the “Great Father” with the Mother and Daughter completes the Christian conception described in An Essay Upon Number, part II. In chapter 11 of The Book of Lies and The Vision and the Voice the unity of Chaos and Babalon as the Supernal Triad is “insisted upon.” As a Tetragrammaton or four-fold word, Chaos “is equal to her seven-fold word” by gematria (Kaph + Ayin + Vau + Samech = 156) which suggests the 4=7 and 7=4 Grades of the A.’.A.’. Furthermore, the Mystery of Chaos is “beyond the comprehension of any but Masters of the Temple” (a Grade in the A.’.A.’. associated with Babalon).

Chaos is also “thought of” “by men” as the Beast.

As both the “Word” or “Logos” of the Gnostics, and the Wisdom of the Kabbalists, Chaos pertains specifically to the 9=2 Grade of Magus (the 11th progressive Grade in the A.’.A.’.), which it conceals.

In a note to The Abul-diz Working, Chaos is identified with Aleph (large=1000) Tau (ATh or Essence; “the”) in Hebrew with a numeration of 1400 (“Tria Capita” or “the Three Heads” – TLT RYShYN); with a regular aleph, 401 (ARR – “cursing”). In An Essay Upon Number, Aleister Crowley draws a connection between ATh and the Word Azoth – “the sum and essence of all, conceived as One”. Furthermore, Chaos is identified as “the Unknown God of Chokmah in Liber 418.” In Greek (applying isopsephy) Chaos adds to 871, which is identical with the words “Pain, Sorrow”, “Secret, dark”, Web; cloak”, “To purify”, and “Against one’s will.”

The primary source concerning Chaos within the Thelemic canon is The Vision and the Voice. Chaos is also mentioned in the Class A documents Liber I and Liber CLVI. Rituals that include Chaos are the first version of Liber XXV ( from The Book of Lies), and Liber XV.

From the Escalier des sages (1689 e.v.) Chaos as an alchemical formula has the following Notariqon: Caliditas Humiditas Alger Occulta Siuitas.

From The Vision and the Voice, 4th AEthyr:

“This is the meaning of that passage; they are attempts to interpret Chaos, but Chaos is Peace… Blackness, blackness intolerable, before the beginning of the light. This is the first verse of Genesis. Holy art thou, Chaos, Chaos, Eternity, all contradictions in terms!… But when the balances are equal, scale matched with scale, then will Chaos return.”